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Massachusetts, get ready for 90-degree heat as June arrives after cool Memorial Day

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:52 GMT

Just as the calendar flips to meteorological summer on June 1, temps could be soaring to 90 degrees across the region.After a Memorial Day cool down with a backdoor cold front crossing Massachusetts, forecasters are predicting that temperatures will rebound for the end of the week — with 90-degree heat possible on Thursday and Friday.“It looks like it will be very warm across southern New England on Thursday and Friday,” Kristie Smith, meteorologist at the National Weather Service’s Boston office, told the Herald.Sunday was the warmest day of the holiday weekend, as summer lovers enjoyed a beautiful day across the region. Highs jumped into the upper 80s in the Merrimack Valley.“Safety tip: Hydrate and take breaks in the shade as temperatures will rise into the upper 80s over the next couple of hours. #BeSafeBoston,” Boston EMS tweeted Sunday afternoon.Then on Monday, the fairly strong backdoor cold front will lead to a much cooler marine airmass t...

Francisco Alvarez’s blast not enough as Mets drop series finale to Rockies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:52 GMT

DENVER — For the second day in a row, Francisco Alvarez hit a massive, three-run blast against the Colorado Rockies. And for the second day in a row, the two teams knotted things up at 6-6 before the Mets collapsed.Tylor Megill allowed six runs (four earned) and Stephen Nogosek (0-1) gave up the go-ahead run plus four more to the Rockies in the Mets’ 11-10 loss in the series finale Sunday at Coors Field. The Mets (27-27) dropped the series 2-1, their second straight after going 1-2 against the Chicago Cubs on this six-game road trip, and their second this month to Colorado (24-30).Francisco Lindor homered off right-hander Peter Lambert (1-1) in the seventh and Tommy Pham (3-for-4, four RBI) hit a two-run triple off right-hander Justin Lawrence in the ninth inning to cut the Colorado lead to 11-9 before scoring on a groundout by Brett Baty. But the Mets’ second comeback effort fell short when Lawrence induced a grounder to Eduardo Escobar to end the game.Pitching ha...

A face behind every flag: Locals honor fallen soldiers for Memorial Day

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:52 GMT

Around Memorial Day, families and loved ones of fallen soldiers echoed their gratitude for this time to remember and honor those they’ve lost as the city celebrates the holiday.“It’s a day I get to say the name Shayne,” said Jody Cabino Cipriano, who’s 19-year-old son Shayne Matthew Cabino was killed in action in Iraq in 2005. “Share the memory of him. And remember so many names of other sons and daughters lost.”Following a ceremony for the families of fallen soldiers Thursday, Cipriano was one of many people out and around the stunning display of 37,369 flags — one for every Massachusetts soldier lost since the Revolutionary War — planted around the Soldiers and Sailors Monument on the Common.With Memorial Day approaching, many reflected on the “inspiring” and “moving” nature of spending the holiday in such a historic city.A wide range of Massachusetts natives said they’d be getting together with fa...

Spain swings right in local and regional elections

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:52 GMT

MADRID (AP) — Spain’s conservative opposition Popular Party made significant gains in Sunday’s local and regional elections, offering a dire assessment of public feeling towards the ruling left-wing coalition ahead of general elections in December.In the local vote, the Popular Party, or PP, won 31.5% of votes compared with 28.2% for the Spanish Socialist Workers Party, or PSOE, which leads the central government, with more than 97% of votes counted, according to results published by the Interior Ministry. This was a 1.2 percentage point decrease for PSOE on 2019, but almost a 9 point increase for the PP, which benefited from the collapse of the centrist Citizens party.The PP also dominated several regions previously won by PSOE including Valencia, Aragon and La Rioja. Spain’s regional governments have enormous power and budgetary discretion over education, health, housing and policing. The party also swung important cities including Valencia and Seville from the Sociali...

Syrian state media: Suspected Israeli airstrikes target Damascus

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:52 GMT

DAMASCUS (AP) — Airstrikes attributed to Israel targeted Syria’s capital city late Sunday, the first such strikes in a month, Syrian state media reported.Syrian air defenses responded to the strikes in the vicinity of Damascus and shot down some of them, state news agency SANA reported. The attack caused only “material damage,” it said.The last suspected Israeli airstrike on Syria was on April 29, targeting the province of Homs. SANA, citing military officials, said at the time that three civilians were wounded in the strike and that a civilian fuel station caught fire and a number of fuel tankers and trucks were burned.There was no immediate statement from Israeli authorities regarding Sunday’s strikes on Damascus.Israel, which has vowed to stop Iranian entrenchment next door, has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets in government-controlled parts of neighboring Syria in recent years, but rarely acknowledges them.However, Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, s...

At least 35 shot, 8 dead over Memorial Day weekend as Johnson urges City to work together

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:52 GMT

CHICAGO — Memorial Day weekend violence has led to nearly three dozen people being shot, including a number of deaths. Mayor Brandon Johnson made an appearance at CPD's 8th District roll call in Wentworth Park Sunday with a message for Chicago."If you point fingers, nothing gets done," Johnson said. "But if you surround yourself with people who have a vested interest in a better, stronger, safer Chicago, there's a lot more we can do if we work together."Johnson's pitch to Chicagoans came as at least 35 people had already been the victim of gun violence over Memorial Day weekend, including eight people who died from their injuries. 3 shot in Lakeview Four people were shot in a South Side drive-by shooting Saturday near the intersection of East 79th Street and Ashland Avenue. A woman later died from that incident. A few hours later, two people were shot in the 300 block of North Dearborn Street.As the violence has happened, pastors and community activists around the City have been b...

Rolling Thunder's Ride to Remember on Memorial Day weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:52 GMT

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. — A Ride to Remember was held outside of the Lovell VA Hospital in North Chicago on Memorial Day Weekend. "We honor the sacrifices of fallen members who put their lives on the line for our nation, for us and for future generations of fellow Americans," Ret. Col. Wayne Kirkpatrick said. Memorial Day Parades & Ceremonies For the 35th year, the Rolling Thunder is a 54-mile trek from North Chicago, south the Hines VA in Chicago and then to Cantigny Park in Wheaton.The ride honors the 645,000 Americans lost in battle since World War I, with special recognition for the nearly 82,000 POWs and MIAs."It's not just a day for a cookout but a day to honor veterans, past, present," Kirkpatrick said.The honor from nearly 200 riders reflects the sacrifices of those who've served in America's armed services.The Lake County Sheriff's Auxiliary served as guides on the first part of the journey.It was a way of saying thank you to those who've protected our fragile freedoms an...

Escaped Ohio inmate found dead in the Ohio River

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:52 GMT

HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) -- A multi-day manhunt for escaped Ohio inmate Bradley Gillespie has come to an end.Police in Henderson, Kentucky said a preliminary investigation shows Gillespie's body was found in the Ohio River by a boater during a press conference Sunday evening. Gillespie and another inmate, James Lee, were reported missing from the Allen Oakwood Correctional Institution in Lima, Ohio on Tuesday. They had last been seen on surveillance video inside the facility shortly before 9 a.m. Monday. An investigation later determined the two had hidden in a dumpster to escape. Search for American teen missing in the Bahamas called off Wednesday morning, Henderson Police found what they believed to be a stolen vehicle occupied by Gillespie and Lee just after 3 a.m. on Highway 41 near Atkinson Park.When officers tried to pull the vehicle over, a pursuit began. They say the fugitives crashed a short time later and then ran from the vehicle. Lee was apprehended and taken to a hospit...

Tennessee woman goes missing during cross-country trip with boyfriend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:52 GMT

CHEATHAM COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) -- A Tennessee family is desperately trying to find their loved one after they say she disappeared while traveling across the country with her boyfriend, who is currently wanted on an unrelated arrest warrant. Toni Alcaraz last spoke with her 33-year-old sister, Nikki Alcaraz, also known as Nikki Cunningham, three weeks ago. Nikki had set out in her black Jeep with her boyfriend, Tyler Stratton, and a dog to visit family in Orange County, California."I talk to her almost every day, so I am scared something happened to them," said Toni. "It's a trip she's done hundreds of times. Our uncle is still in Southern California, and she goes to see him often."During their cross-country trip, the couple had a run-in with law enforcement in Torrance County, New Mexico. According to a Torrance County Sheriff's Office report from May 4, a witness saw Stratton punch Nikki in the face. The report went on to say that Stratton claimed he was also hit, with blood coming ...

Austin-aimed bills in the legislative session: What's headed to the governor, what's not

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:52 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Another legislative session in Texas, another round of bills aimed at the city where it all happens. Texas’ 88th Legislative Session: Which bills made it to the governor’s desk? "Every two years, it seems that the state legislature has the city of Austin in its sights. And we kind of always hoped that absence might make the heart grow a little fonder, that that won't be the case. But usually what happens is familiarity breeds contempt," said Brian Smith, a professor of political science at St. Edward's University. Here are some of the Austin-inspired bills and where the stand at the end of the session: HB 2127: Texas Regulatory Consistency ActA bill that strips a local government's ability to create laws more strict than Texas' in some cases will head to the governor's desk. It takes away the City of Austin's ability to create things like labor laws and water restrictions in a drought. "This is what the opponents called the 'Death Star' bill. And this limits munic...